Weather-boarding gage



(No Model.)

E. HOTOHKISS.

. WEATHER BOARDING GAGE. No. 378,548. Patented Feb. 28, 1888.

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ELlSI-IA IIO'IOHKISS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

WEATHER BOARDING GAGE.

GPECIPICATIUN forming part of Letters Patent 110,378,548, dated February28, 1888.

Application filed March 16, 1887. Serial No. 231,120. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELISHA Horonnrss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Weather-BoardingGages; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a tool for use in weather-boarding.

The object of the invention is to produce a tool which will gage theposition of a board and hold it while it is being nailed in place.

Figure 1 is a side view of the gage when in use, and an end View ofweather-boarding. Fig. 2 is a front view of the gage and of theweatherhoarding. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the central parts, shownin section on the line 3:, Figs. 2 and Fig. 1 is a front view of thecentral slotted bar, 20, and an end view of the post 18 shown in placewithin the slot 19. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the foot or base. Fig. 6is a view of the awl. Figs. 7 and *8 show a spring.

The same letters or numbers indicate the same parts in the differentfigures.

In nailing on weather-boarding carpenters have to measure and mark theposition for each board, and then temporarily secure the board in placeby nails driven part way into the last board nailed in place previous tonailing on the board. This method is tedious, and there is liability ofmaking mistakes. Besides, the nails driven temporarily into the boardsleave holes which do not close up when the nails are withdrawn. lVith myimproved gage, when properly set, such use of nails is dispensed with,and there is no liability to error in placing a board.

The tool consists, essentially, of the base or foot 21, the toe 22,slotted bar 20, the post 18, and an awl, 1.

The foot 24.- and the slotted bar are preferably made integral and ofmalleable castiron, and the sole 24 is made of iron or steel, andsecured to the bottom of the foot 24 by as to form a shoulder, 15, Fig.4, which bears against the back side of the bar 20, while the flattenedportion in front of this shoulder is fitted to slide within the slot 19.The post 18 has a prolongation, 2, which extends in front of the bar 20,and has a screw-thread, 17, cut on its exterior, near the front side ofthe bar 20, and a wing nnt, 4., which, when screwed onto this thread andtight against the bar 20, clamps the post 18 in any desired positionwithin the slot 19. The post 18 and its prolongation 2 have a hole, 14.,extending from the front end to near the rear end, and a smaller hole,6, is continued through the wall at the back end. An awl, 1, carried bya shaft, 10, is placed within these holes, the awl proper projectingthrough and sliding within the small hole and the shaft 10 restingwithin the large one 14. The shaft 10 has a collar, 9, about thediameter of the hole 11, which serves to guide the shaft and awl.Adjacent the collar 9 is a small shoulder, 7. Springs 8, cutout with theshape shown in Fig. 7, have a hole, 21, which is slipped over the awl 1,and,pressed over the shoulder 7, is secured, by means of this shoulderand the collar 9, in placeon the awl. The extremities of the springs 8are then bent down upon the awl, as shown in Fig. 8, until they enterthe hole 1 1 in the prolongation 2, when they are pushed into the hole.The springs 8 bear against the walls of the hole 14, and by theirfriction retain the awl inany desired po' sition. The springs 8 may besoldered or otherwise secured to the awl l. The front end of theprolongation 2 is turned down or re duced, leaving a shoulder, 13, and acap, 3, may be secured thereon in any suitable manner, as by friction ora screw-thread.

When the awl is in place, it rests and is guided within the small hole 6in the end of the post 18, and the shaft 10 projects through and slideswithin a corresponding hole in the cap 3. The collar 9 will strikeagainst the cap 0 and prevent the awl from coming out forward, while ashoulder on a knob, 5, which is fastened onto the end 11 of the shaft10, will strike against the exterior of the cap 3 and prevent the shaft10 being driven too far inward, and thus injuring the springs 8. Therelative construction of the board-supporting post and the awl providesfor adjusting the awl and post at the same time, and provides for thelocation of the awl in the most effective working position.

In Figs. 1 and 2, s s are studs, and b, b, and b are weather-boards. Theboards I) and b are supposed to be already nailed in place. The last orupper one, I), is in section on the line 00 x of Fig. 2.

The gage is shown with its sole 24 pressed against the board If, and itstoe 22 is shown inserted under the lower edge of the board I) andbetween the boards b and b, and the post 18 is shown pressing againstthe board I) and the nut 4 screwed down tight, whereby the post issecured in place. When in this position, the knob 5 is forced inward,and the awl1 is thus driven out of the Small hole 6 and into the boardb, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. The awl prevents the gage from becomingdisplaced.

a indicates the spacing or gage, and when the upper side of the post 18is the distance a from the upper side of the shoulder 26, as shown inFig. 1, and the toe 22 is forced under the board 22 until the shoulder26 strikes the lower edge of the board I), then the post 18 will be insuch position that if the lower edge of the board I) be supported by thepost the board I) will then be in position to be nailed.

Of courseitwould require two such tools to support the board 1) unlessone end only be supported by the tool while the carpenter holds theother in position and then nails it fast.

The slot 19, the post 18, and the nut serve as a means for varying thegage.

When the tool is used, the awl, having a slender, sharp, tapering point,simply presses the wood apart without breaking the fiber, so that whenthe awl is withdrawn and the wood becomes moist the hole closes up andthe boards are not disfigured,as when nails are driven into them forgaging the boards.

I claim- 1. In a weather-boarding gage, the combination of a recessedboardsupporting post,

an awl working within the recess of the post, and the bindingclamp 8,fastened to the awl l and engaging the-walls of the recess of the post,the said post being suitably adjustably connected to the main parts ofthe gage, substantially as set forth.

2. In a weather-boarding gage, the combination of a board-supportingpost having a (381%[71'31 longitudinal recess, 6 14, and an awl workingwithin the recess of the post, and having the enlarged bearing part 9working in the recess 14, the reduced bearing part 1 working in the hole6, and the reduced bearing part 10 working in the hole in the cap 3, thesaid post being suitably adj ustably connected to the main parts of thegage, substantially as set forth.

3. In a weatherboarding gage, the combination of the body having anupwardly-extending slotted part, a board-supporting post having anintegral longitudinal prolongation projecting in line with the postproper, and projecting concentrically with the axis of the post andthrough the slot in the said slotted extension and adapted to fit and beadjusted lengthwise in the said slot, and a nut on the postprolongation, the said post having bearing parts, which with the nut areadapted to clamp the post to the body-extension, substantially as setforth.

4. In a weather-boarding gage, the combination of the body having anupwardly-err tending slotted part, a board-su p porting post having aprolongation adapted to fit and be adjusted in the slot in the saidslotted extension, a nut on the post prolongation, and an a-wl workingin the recess in the post, the said 'po'st'having bearing parts, whichwith the nut are adapted to clamp the post to the body-extension, andthe awl being supported and guided by its bearings in the post, wherebyit is adapted to pierce the board at or near the end of the post, andwhereby both the post and awl may be adjusted together relatively to theslotted body-extension, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I now affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

ELISHA HOTGHKISS. Witnesses:

E. P. ROBBINS, WILLIAM REINHART.

